Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Sunny-Side Up..

Having time for more than an unbuttered, half burnt piece of
toast or a spoonful of soggy, cardboard flavoured cereal at breakfast time is
my favourite thing in the whole wide world. The luxury of actually sitting down
at the table, drinking orange juice in sips rather than student union style
gulps, trying to do the crossword (and failing in my case; I once convinced myself
that ‘four letter flightless bird’ was, obviously, a duck..) is what Bank Holidays
are absolutely made for.

This Easter weekend, it was, of course, all about eggs. I
know what you are thinking, and yes, chocolate for breakfast is technically OK
at this time of year; but before the cocoa carnage that occurred after the
Easter Eggs were hunted and de-foiled, the treats on our breakfast table were
more of the yolk and white variety than Cadbury or Mars. It all started so well...

Eggs for breakfast is kind of an unspoken rule over this
otherwise chocolate filled weekend; a symbol of rebirth (on a serious note) and
as much an Easter staple as mince pies at Christmas or too much champagne at
New Years (hopefully less seriously.) A leftover tradition that hails from the
days when Lent was followed much more religiously than quitting Facebook or giving
up the lift at work; the glut of eggs in the pantry after the 40 days and 40
nights of serious fasting (chickens have never been too good at reading ‘no
need to lay’ memos, thus cramming the larder as Good Friday dawned) meant that
boiled, fried or scrambled, they were the obvious choice on Easter morn.

This year, despite
the fact that my army boyfriend was in Suffolk for the weekend, thus providing
the perfect opportunity for an ‘Eggs and Soldiers’ post; it was the frying pan
that got the brunt of the action. And with sunny-side up brightening the
kitchen table in a way that the sun itself couldn’t quite muster; these fresh
and spicy Mexican eggs with corn pancakes were a real winner. Crammed with fresh
veg and herbs, fiery with chilli and paprika and sprinkled with zingy lime and coriander,
they were the perfect contradiction to the early morning chocolate feast that
is almost obligatory at this cocoa-loco time of year. Just what the Easter
Bunny ordered; after allthis might
be the only meal that doesn’t involve cracking a chocolate egg for a while...

Mexican Fried Eggs
with Corn and Jalapeño Pancakes

Crowned with smoky-sweet
peppers and onions, delicately spiced with cumin seeds and paprika; the fluffy,
jalapeño spiked pancakes are the perfect platform for the naughtiest of eggs.
No poaching or egg white omelettes here (well, is there really much point after
cramming your cheeks with chocolate bunnies?) serve this delicious take on my
favourite Huevos Rancheros with bowls of sour cream, grated cheddar, chopped
spring onions, sliced avocado and wedges of lime. Ramp up the spice with extra
chilli for those with a fiery tooth (or a hangover) sprinkle over some fragrant
coriander, cram the table with as many people as you can and get stuck in...

Smoky peppers and
onions

Olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 pepper, sliced

4 tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp tomato puree

Salt and pepper

Jalepeno and corn pancakes

1 green chilli, finely chopped

150g plain flour

100g polenta

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten.

200 ml milk

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp melted butter, plus extra for cooking.

To serve

4-8 eggs, fried to your liking

Sour cream

Coriander

Lime wedges

-

To make the smoky peppers; first fry the onion and garlic
over a medium heat in a little olive oil. When softened, add the cumin seeds,
paprika, tomatoes and sliced peppers and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar, sugar, tomato puree and a splash of water,
season well and leave to simmer over a low heat until thick and sticky.

Meanwhile, make the pancake batter. In a large bowl, combine
the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre and whisk in the beaten eggs
until you have a smooth paste.

Gradually add the milk, whisking all the time, until you
have a thick batter. Stir in the chopped chillies and melted butter and leave
to stand until ready to assemble your breakfast.

In a saucepan, heat a little butter or olive oil. Fry
ladlefuls of the thick batter until bubbles begin to appear on the surface and
the underside is lightly browned. Turn and fry for a few more minutes on the
other side.

To assemble, top the pancakes with the peppers and onions,
fried eggs and a sprinkle of coriander leaves. Serve with bowls sour cream,
chopped spring onions, grated cheese, extra chillies, sliced avocados and get
stuck in!